LONGMONT -- A 28-year-old Longmont man suspected of opening fire on a police officer who pulled him over early Wednesday morning remained in critical condition at Denver Health on Thursday, but Longmont police Cmdr. Jeff Satur said he "appears to be recovering."

Police have not officially arrested Jonathan Shank, but he remains under guard at the hospital, where he is being treated for multiple gunshot wounds. Satur said investigators are starting to piece together the reasons why Shank opened fire, but that he could not release the information yet.

According to police, a Watch III officer stopped Shank's Subaru Impreza at 2:12 a.m. because the car was traveling east on Ken Pratt Boulevard without its headlights. Both the Impreza and patrol car pulled into the parking lot of the Best Buy along Ken Pratt Boulevard, according to police.

Satur reported that Shank got out of the car and shot a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle at the officer while advancing on the patrol car. According to initial reports, Shank fired at least 12 times; one round was recovered from the Lowe's building across Ken Pratt Boulevard. The officer got out of his car, placed the vehicle between himself and Shank and returned fire, striking Shank at least three times. Satur said information about how many times the officer and suspect fired and how many bullets were recovered during the investigation will be reported later.

Longmont police do not all carry the same kind of sidearm. Satur said the department provides a stipend to buy a gun along with guidelines. The officer was carrying a 9 mm Glock 17, he said.

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Shank lives on the 1300 block of South Emery Street in a townhouse listed to Edwin Shank. Neighbors said they believe he lived with his sister and niece. However, Satur said he believes the woman he lives with is his mother. He said the girl who lives in the home is a relative, as well.

A dog barked from inside the home on Thursday morning, but no one answered. A message left on the home number was not returned.

Neighbors said on Wednesday that Shank was quiet and rarely spoke to anyone beyond standard greetings. He would wash his car and speak on his cell phone outside, they said.

He worked for TransFirst, a company specializing in secure electronic payment systems. A corporate spokeswoman said she was not authorized to say where Shank worked, although local offices are located in Broomfield and Aurora.

"We are aware of the situation and we are cooperating with the authorities," she said.

Detectives canvassed the south Longmont neighborhood where Shank lived. Public records indicate he lived in the home since about 2009.

Shank has a relatively minor police record that includes a DUI conviction, a driving under revocation conviction, a minor in possession of alcohol conviction, and other minor traffic offenses.

Detectives who searched the home yesterday recovered a number of other weapons and ammunition from Shank's home and seized them as evidence in the case. Satur said there is no evidence so far that would indicate that Shank acquired any of those weapons illegally.

Along with the investigation into Shank and his activities, a multiagency team of investigators is investigating the circumstances around the shooting. The officer involved is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation per standard policy. The "shoot team" investigation will determine whether the officer followed both department policy and the law during the incident.